Rotatable modular memorabilia display system enabling a vertical or horizontal configuration

ABSTRACT

A modular display system containing two attached modules for displaying some item in one module adjacent to an article of sports clothing such as a jersey in the other module. The jersey display module contains a square mounting platform on which an article of clothing is mounted. The secondary system module is meant to hold display items, including sports memorabilia, which may complement or give context to the article of sports clothing. The two modules are attached by only one set of attachment means located respectively on only one of each of the sides of the modules. The attachment means are designed for easily removing or attaching a secondary display module from or to the jersey display module. When the two modules are attached to each other forming the display system, the display system can then be rotated as a unit allowing the display system to be presented in a horizontal or vertical alignment where the secondary display module is aligned either to the left of, the right of, above or below the jersey display module. The square mounting platform is rotated on a horizontal axis correspondingly to the system alignment, after the system is mounted on vertical surface, and then re-deposited into the jersey display module so that the item being displayed remains right side up regardless of the system alignment.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to display cases, more specifically to display cases that feature sports jerseys or other sports memorabilia. More specifically, the present invention relates to modular display cases. More specifically, the present invention relates to modular display cases where one module contains a clothing item that is mounted on a mounting platform within the display case module.

2. Description of Related Art

There are many product display cases and jersey display frames and sports memorabilia display cases on the market. For example there exist modular display cases such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,402 to Koppe that allows products to be displayed in a stacked system which can be altered in what is displayed in vertical order. Additionally there exist modular displays such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,778 to TenBrink that have both vertical and horizontal attachment points so that the display modules can be displayed vertically or horizontally. There also exist displays that rotate on a vertical axis such as D244411 to Haggerty for the purpose of allowing a 360 degree view of the display item.

There does not exist in the prior art, however, the present invention which comprises a modular system with only one attachment point between a jersey or uniform display module and a secondary display module where the attached combination of modules can have either a vertical or horizontal alignment. The jersey display module can be rotated along a horizontal axis on a vertical surface or wall in quarter turns so that the one side containing the attachment point with the secondary module can be on top, the right side, the bottom side or the left side. This allows for the secondary display module to be aligned to the left or right of the jersey display module (herein the “horizontal alignment”), or above or below the jersey display module (herein the “vertical alignment”) while using only one attachment point. This is possible because the square mounting platform for the jersey display can be slid into the jersey display module regardless of how the module is oriented by virtue of the mounting platform being square. The mounting platform can be deposited uprightly into the module regardless of how the side it is slid into is aligned.

There also does not exist in the prior art, a modular display system where the secondary module is easily separated from the jersey display module either for swapping out one secondary module for another, or for breaking the entire display down for storage or shipping. This is achieved by an attachment means which allows for easily sliding off the secondary module from the jersey display module. This also allows one to develop and display anything adjacent to the jersey display module where multiple secondary display modules can all be swapped out for one another. This is in contrast to a permanent attachment means where use of glues, screws and/or pegs would more likely compel altering the same secondary display module each time and having to do it while it is attached to the jersey display module.

The utility of the rotatable system along with attachment means that allow for easy secondary module removal is to be able to both create a modular display system that is easily broken down, shipped, locked and accessed as well as offering the aesthetic and practical option of having a horizontal alignment for display in rooms with low ceilings, such as basements, eliminating the need to stoop or bend down to see what is in the bottom of a vertically aligned display case with jersey on top and secondary item displayed underneath it.

The utility of this modular system is more clear when one considers the aesthetics involved with and the flexibility required for the display of sports memorabilia or indeed when one attempts to create a display for any genre. While a jersey or uniform is a standard piece of memorabilia that comes with participation in any sport, a second, complementary type of memorabilia could come in any form. For example, a common complementary memorabilia is a trophy. Displaying a trophy below a jersey would be next to impossible given the typical large height of a trophy. The present invention, however, allows for display of a trophy where the secondary module is used in a horizontal alignment with the jersey module where the secondary module is tall and narrow in the horizontal alignment. Another example of tall and narrow memorabilia is the boxing/martial arts championship belt which can be displayed below a jersey display module, but with the present invention can also be displayed to the left or the right of the jersey display module (in the horizontal alignment) with a much greater aesthetic effect where these belts are seldom worn around the waist, but more often seen hanging down from the shoulder of the victor. Alternatively, the present invention allows one to also place the secondary module above the jersey display module and in the example of the championship belt this would be an appropriate configuration where the belt is also commonly held above the victor's head. Finally, the present invention allows for secondary module displays that can be aligned in either the vertical or horizontal alignment, for example, a digital signage display (video monitor with speakers). The utility here is that the displayer has the ability to choose any alignment configuration.

The utility of this modular system is similarly more clear when one has variable items in individual secondary modules that can be displayed appropriately next to the same jersey. For example, the traveling sports memorabilia salesperson could use one secondary module to display one type of memorabilia (for example a baseball) at one type of sales event (a baseball convention) and switch out that secondary module for a different secondary module containing a different type of memorabilia (for example a playing card) at another sales event (a playing card convention) specific to that which is being displayed in the secondary module. Relatedly, the ability to choose between vertical and horizontal alignments is especially useful for the memorabilia salesperson who may encounter varying convention spaces they are provided in which to display the memorabilia, again, where they may encounter low ceilings in one space and narrow stalls in another.

The utility of having a modular system that utilizes only one attachment is point is clear when one considers the aesthetic value of not having to hide attachment structures that are not being utilized. The present invention enables the one attachment point to be hidden where the jersey display module and the secondary module are always attached together when in use as a display. The remaining sides of the resulting structure are therefore aesthetically pleasing where they do not show unutilized attachment points regardless of what alignment the system is in.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a modular display system. Taken together, the characteristics of the present invention make it unique to what is presently offered in the art. These characteristics include the ability to rotate the display; the use of only one attachment point; and the ability to quickly and easily replace the secondary module with other secondary modules. Where one utility of the present invention is to display something adjacent to a sports jersey or item of clothing, the above characteristics extend the utility beyond this into: utilizing the display system's modularity to fit it into difficult and changing spaces by altering the module alignment between vertical and horizontal; utilizing the display system to easily swap around that which is displayed adjacent to the sports jersey or clothing item; and providing the utility of easily and quickly breaking the system down into smaller pieces for ease of transport or storage.

The characteristics and utilities of the present invention described in this summary and the detailed description below are not all inclusive. Many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art given the following drawings, specifications and claims.

(BRIEF) DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. For ease of understanding and simplicity, common numbering of elements within the illustrations is employed to identify an element in the different drawings.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the front side of the jersey display module with sides labeled A-D and with side A being uniformly represented as the side containing external attachment points for attachment to the secondary display module. FIG. 1B and FIG. 1C respectively are perspective views of the secondary display module with side E labeled uniformly as the side with attachment points. FIG. 1B shows the secondary display module in one embodiment of the horizontal alignment configuration. FIG. 1C shows the secondary display module in one embodiment of the vertical alignment configuration.

FIG. 2A is a front view of one embodiment of the male portion of the attachment means on the outer surface of side A on the jersey display module. FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the secondary display module side E showing one embodiment of the female attachment means. FIG. 2C is a perspective view of one embodiment of the locking means affixed to side F of the secondary display module.

FIG. 3A looks down into the jersey display module from side A but with side A removed so as to see inside the module. FIG. 3B is a perspective view of side A of the jersey display module and its attachment means to the jersey display module. Also shown is how side A is the removable cover to the jersey display module for accessing the jersey mounting platform.

FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B show the secondary display module attached to the jersey display module in the vertical alignment configuration. FIG. 4C and FIG. 4D show the secondary display module attached to the jersey display module in the horizontal alignment configuration.

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B show one embodiment of the means for affixing the jersey display module to a wall or vertical surface so that any side of the jersey display module can be the topmost side of the jersey display module and so that the secondary display module does not require any means for affixing to a wall or vertical surface when attached to the jersey display module.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the jersey display module 100 which is roughly square shaped and which contains a mounting platform 110 for a clothing item. The jersey display module 100 is four sided and side A 105 can be removed so as to add the mounting platform 110. FIG. 1B is a front perspective view of the secondary display module 400 as used in the horizontal display alignment and shows the location of the attachment means 200 located on side A 105 of the jersey display module 100 and side E 135 of the secondary display module 400 by which the secondary display module 400 is attached to the jersey display module 100. FIG. 1C is a front perspective view of the secondary display module 400 as used in the vertical display alignment and shows the ½″ lip 115 that is located on the two sides and front of the secondary display module 400 which hides the attachment means 200 when the jersey display module 100 and the secondary display module 400 are attached to one another.

FIG. 2A is a front view of one embodiment of the male attachment means 205 located on side A 105 of the jersey display module. FIG. 2B shows the corresponding female attachment points 210 located on side E 135 of the secondary display module 400. FIG. 2B also shows a perspective view of how the ½″ lip 115 located on the sides and front of the secondary module 400 extends past the top surface of side E of the secondary display module 400 and the height of the female attachment points 210 so as to hide them when the jersey display module 100 is attached to the secondary display module 400. FIG. 2B also shows the location of the lock core 305 on side F 140 of the secondary display module 400. FIG. 2C shows the locking system 300 which prevents the secondary display module 400 from being slid outwards and off of the jersey display module 100. The male member of the lock core 305 located in the secondary display module 400 extends into the female space 310 located in side D 145 of the jersey display module 100.

FIG. 3A shows the inside of the jersey display module 100 looking down onto side A 105 but with side A 105 removed so as to see the inside of the module 100. We see a rear slot or groove 115 extending the entire depth of the jersey display module 100 into which the mounting platform 110 can be slid into on any side. A second slot or groove 120 near the front of the jersey display module 100 also extends through the depth of the module 100 into which transparent material (glass or plastic) 155 is slid into so as to see the contents of the display. Seven screw holes 125 allow for attachment of side A 105. FIG. 3B shows how side A 105 is actually a removable cover piece 130 which allows for installation and removal of the mounting platform 110. The removable cover piece 130 has seven countersunk screw holes 145 which align with the screw holes 125 on side A 105 of the jersey display module 100. Two guides 150 are each offset from their respective sides of the inner surface of the cover piece 130 and act to position the cover piece 130 for ease of screwing it on and also for making sure there is no loose play in the mounting platform 110 or the transparent display material 155.

FIG. 4A-4D show how side A 105 can be in any one of four positions and how side E 135 is always adjacent to it. FIG. 4B shows a flattened planar view with side G of the secondary display module 400 being the top surface of the entire structure and depicts how the secondary display module 400 is added along only one specific axis of the jersey display module 100. From this, one can see how the mounting platform 110 is always right side up by virtue of being inserted in an upright position into side A 105 after the system has been configured in any of the alignments shown in 5A-5D.

FIG. 5A shows back of the jersey display module 100 where are located the hanger tabs 500 that contain a circular hole 510 into which a screw or bolt shown in FIG. 5B that has been affixed to a vertical mounting surface can be inserted through so that the jersey display module 100 can be mounted and then have the secondary display module 400 added to it.

The previous is a detailed description of illustrative embodiments of the present invention. As these of embodiments of the present invention are described with references to the aforementioned drawings, various modifications or adaptations of the methods and or specific structures described may become apparent to those skilled in the art. All such modifications, adaptations, or variations that rely upon the teachings of the present invention, and through which these teachings have advanced the art, are considered to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Hence, these descriptions and drawings are not to be considered in a limiting sense, as it is understood that the present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments illustrated. 

1. A square display module comprising: a removable square thin mounting board on which to display a flat item or items such as a sports jersey; a removable cover which allows for depositing of said mounting board along either sets of its two parallel sides into parallel grooves located along opposite sides of said jersey display module; on each of the sides of the back of said square display module are means for affixing said module to a wall or vertical surface so that the square display module can be affixed using any one of its four sides; and the outer surface of said removable cover has attachment means to which the second four-sided display module can be attached using corresponding attachment means located on one of the sides of said secondary display modules.
 2. The corresponding attachment means of claim 1 allow for easy addition and removal of said secondary module to said square display module, and the ability to exchange one secondary module for another comprising the same corresponding attachment means as the square display module.
 3. A locking system that prevents the secondary display module from being unattached from the square display module. Said locking system comprising a lock core affixed to one of said modules and a corresponding female portion of said locking system being affixed on the other module, and allowing for a male member extending from said lock core to be rotated or inserted into said female portion.
 4. Means for physically hiding said sets of corresponding attachment means when said modules are attached to one another including but not limited to a lip structure extending around the sides and front of one of the modules along on the side containing said attachment means, said lip structure being of sufficient height to block the view of said attachment means but still allow for use of said attachment means. 